When you hit a groove, it's not you; it's the spirit world. The spirits whisper the ideas in your brain and prod you along. They're the ones that are really happy.

2021, I was so proud of myself. 

America's Construction Experts reached the decade mark. 

Formed America's Private Investments, LLC. 

Became a Licensed Realtor with the State of Indiana

I Sold 60 installations in the first 45-Days of the year.  

4 installation teams found themselves booked 10-months out.

Talk about job security! 

They were so happy.

I kept this run going all the way into 2023. 

Over 120 jobs personally sold in less than 24-months. 

What ended up happening to the cost of goods?

Lumber went from $2 to $12. 

Caulk from $2 to $5. 

The one-hundred thousand dollar fixer-upper is suddenly two-hundred thousand.

Rents are escalating. 

Inflation soaked up all the profits. 

I was faced with a difficult decision,

Take the hits or ask clients for more money?

I chose NOT to go back on signed agreements.

The Pandemic and politics affected us in several ways. 

The winter of 2022 the team completed 5 transformational projects. 

The team is truly firing on all cylinders putting out top-notch work.

5-Star Review after 5-Star Review. 

We even beat the pressure induced Christmas deadlines. 

Client calls, "Hey David, what happened to your Google listing?"

Moments later, another client, "David, I can't find you on Google."

To this day I cannot tell you what happened. 

I never thought being a small business owner I would see, 

"Government" on our Caller ID. 

The Team and I decided to push forward during the pandemic. 

I strongly believe what you do with your body is your business. 

Right or wrong, I never answered the Caller ID.

Polite voicemails over-time turned threatening. 

Suddenly we lost over 100 5-Star Reviews and our online presence. 

It took over two and a half years to regain our google listing. 

I ended up hiring a company that specialized in restoring business listings. 

Drove to Cleveland, OH and met a great guy by the name of Drew. 

His company got it done. 

If you feel like there is a discrepancy between clients serviced and reviews...

This makes two of us. 

Plus the hundreds of lost reviews with clients we helped who had no voice. 

There is a lot of moving parts between 2021-2024. 

Trusting 100% in my internal guiding voice. 

Even if doors close, I am learning that is a part of the process.  

Let us revisit obtaining the Real Estate License. 

In 2021, I started the process of becoming a Realtor. 

I passed the online course on 2/27/2021. 

The next available State Test was on 3.17.2021. 

Guess what day that is? 

My dad's birthday. 

My dad didn't get to see what I created. 

When he suddenly died his only son was a f'ing loser. 

4-time charged felon dropped to misdemeanors. 

Living off an unemployment card and government assistance. 

I am going to honor him and take the State exam on his birthday. 

Guess what happens? 

I failed. 

Studied so hard and I failed. 

I was in complete shock.

I got back in my car at DeVry University in South Bend, Indiana and cried. 

Cried because I failed. 

Cried because I can't believe I sold 60 plus jobs and there not making any real money. 

Cried because my kids are wearing diapers on their face. 

Cried because the government won't stop calling my phone asking if I want kits. 

It felt like the entire world was on my shoulders. 

And I don't get the luxury of putting my personal problems on someone else. 

I sat in that parking lot for what seemed like an eternity. 

Finally phoned a dear friend and they helped me shake it off. 

Feeling compounded, because I will never ever, ever, ever, and I mean ever forget, how it felt being 27-years of age, living in a 4,000 Square Foot home on a the 7th green, 

when the lights went out for the last time and I lost everything. 

Take it again, fail.  

Take it again, fail.  

Take it again, pass.  

Indiana license law states, you have 1-year to affiliate your license. 

Deadline to affiliate is Mid-May 2022.

I tell myself I have time,

and flip my focus back to America's Private Investments. 

I met this wonderful client in South Haven named, Eva Brewer. 

This lady during this period of time was an absolute angel. 

My dad's dead. My mom, I love her, but I can't talk to her. 

I had no direct support system. 

Eva was like a second mom and really gave me sound life advice.

During a period of time where I cherished hearing a woman's perspective.

Eva trusted me to remodel her bathroom.
This led to the kitchen.
Painting.
Floors.

How hard is it to find a reliable contractor?

She spent close to $50,000 with me.

This is before Kathy G. 

Eva Brewer is my first big client where the team did multiple home improvements.
I can still see her face,

"David, I just retired and I am moving to Indy to be by my grand baby.
Do you know a Realtor?"

I met a Realtor through a friend. 

At face value they seemed like a good hearted person. 

Eva calls the agent. Eva calls me...
"David, they sound nice."

Long story short this agent lists Eva's home for sale.

First offer comes in and this agent tells her to accept it. 

Eva's home is paid for and this is her retirement money.

The offer is FHA: Asking for a new roof, install a sump pump, 

and on top of this, 3% towards closing costs. 

Maybe you are reading this not even in the industry, 

but does this sound expensive to you?

I get the call from Eva. 

Eva is on tilt. 

I scramble install teams and get the list done. 

Never forget the hole we had to dig in the crawl space. 

Have you ever personally experienced a not so positive situation?

How are the vibes? 

I went to closing to protect MY CLIENT that I REFERRED.

Walking out of closing, 

I stopped the Realtor and looked directly in the eyes and asked, 

"Why did you tell her to accept that offer?"

"I am so sorry David. I am going through a divorce and need the money."

I can still see the look on their face...

This moment forward, somehow, someway, I would figure it out. 

No client of MINE will EVER work with ANYONE who does not have their best interest at heart.

Now I'm on a hunt to find a Realtor that I can REFER MY clients too. 

A friend of a friend tells me about this sweetheart named Jessica.
I tell you what. 

If there is a female version of me, it is this Rockstar. 

How is she absolutely killing it right now? 

She puts people FIRST.

First referral, great.
Second, even better.
And I think we stopped at 5.
All went absolutely perfect. 

My Spirit Warriors are in absolute overdrive. 

Eva was the seed. 

Kathy G. showed the fruits of the labor. 

Now my goal is to figure out how to harvest all three. 

This is why I decided to get my Real Estate License. 

What if I can create a company that offers true one-stop shopping?

Remodeling, Real Estate, and Lending all under one umbrella. 

How cool would that be?

Create a compensation plan so rewarding that teammates can earn on all three. 

America's Construction Experts is all word-of-mouth offsetting the setbacks.  

America's Private Investments is funded and ready to go. 

All I need to do is affiliate my Real Estate License. 

I interview the top 6 agency broker owners in Northern, Indiana. 

They all say no. 

I do not blame them. 

I was dead honest in my desire to open my own real estate agency, 

therefore creating direct competition in 24-months. 

I pitched I would sit idle. 

Deadline is fast approaching. 

Did not know what else to do. 

So I called Jessica. 

Jessica introduced me to a friend, 

and they were cool with me parking my license. 

Send the paperwork I am provided to the State and they reject it. 

New money order, mail the paperwork again, rejected. 

Come to find out it was the incorrect form and now the deadline is 48-hours away. 

I reach back out to Jessica. 

Jessica is right in the middle of remodeling her beautiful office in Schererville. 

At the last minute my Real Estate License is affiliated. 

I can not give up. 

My boys are watching me. 

What am I truly learning in this journey?

Every level up is set back. 

It is a new ground floor. 

You are tasked with the journey of rising back to the top. 

Here I am with a Remodeling Company,

Private Investment Company, 

and now my Real Estate License. 

The clock is officially ticking. 

24-Months away and I can open the agency. 

Navigate to Chapter 6: